The Veteran
by CrimsonCherries
Summary: Before meeting Homura, Mami and Madoka worked together to defeat the witches that plagued Mitakihara. The Veteran tells the story of the six months before Homura transferred to Mitakihara Middle School in the original timeline.
1. Cake & Witches

Mami Tomoe was alone.

Since the car crash that had claimed the lives of her parents two years ago, she had lived in a penthouse in the centre of Mitakihara City, deprived of human contact. School was her only chance to mingle with others, and yet Mami was always left sitting by herself during lunch hour. Nobody had any reason to talk to her. She was an invisible girl, unnoticed by everybody.

But that was fine. Over the past two years, Mami had grown accustomed to solitude. Living alone was actually quite comfortable – it was a peaceful existence, free from the disturbances of rowdy children and smug adults, and at fifteen years old Mami was perfectly capable of looking after herself. As for being alone at school – well, school was a place to learn, not to have fun. Mami didn't care if she had friends or not. Besides, the state of her social life paled in comparison to the rest of Mami's problems.

Mami Tomoe was a Puella Magi, a magical girl who fought against witches that were born from Grief Seeds, strange black objects that were scattered all over the city. It had been two years now, two years since she became a magical girl. Two years since she made the wish that would change her life forever.

It wasn't as though she'd had much of a say in the matter. Considering the situation she was in, there was really no other choice. That… thing had appeared to her without warning, just as she was beginning to lose all hope. Kyubey was an almost indescribable creature – he was white, and looked like some form of dog, one with tiny legs and a long, bushy tail with strange red markings on it. Then again, there was much about Kyubey that Mami didn't understand. Sometimes it felt like she never would.

Kyubey had been smiling down at her, his impression unchanging, perched on a large piece of debris that must have come from the lorry.

'What is your wish?'

At first, Mami thought she was hallucinating. She must have been having a near-death experience. The only difference here was that she really was going to die. She could feel the pool of blood she was lying in swimming around her, growing more expansive by the minute.

Yet something about this strange creature emitted a feeling of trustworthiness. Mami didn't want to die. Ever since she was a little girl, she had been absolutely terrified of death, fearful of a black void of nothingness. She wanted to live. She had to. She wouldn't allow herself to die here.

'I want to live,' she declared, her voice sounding clearer than she could have thought possible. The transformation was almost instant. The pool of blood around her stilled – her bones felt as though they were slowly repairing themselves, and her brain and heart suddenly felt revitalized and filled with energy.

And so, that day, Mami was able to walk away from the crash, still in a daze, almost unaware of what had happened. It took a while for it to truly sink in. Now that she looked back on it, Mami could only despair at her wish. There was one word which stood out to her, one word which changed the course of her future forever. 'I.'

Mami still didn't know why she hadn't wished for her parents to live as well as her. Was it a moment of madness? Was she being selfish? Or did she quite simply forget about them?

It drove Mami crazy to think about it. For Mami, the past was a dreadful place, filled with stale memories and days she knew she could never relive. Yet she couldn't help dwelling on the past, remembering her parents and wondering what the present would be like, had her past been different.

Despite the initial trauma, Mami 'adapted well to being a Puella Magi,' or so Kyubey had told her. He taught her the basics of fighting and all the terminology. They were just words, of course – something like Kyubey couldn't demonstrate to Mami how wrestle, for example. But Mami learnt best from listening, and paid close attention to everything Kyubey told her.

Nobody else was aware of Mami's double life as a magical girl, and Mami was firmly convinced that nobody needed to be. She didn't want praise or recognition for her work – all she wanted was for Mitakihara to be a safe place for all its citizens, free from the evil of witches and their familiars.

But she knew she was lying to herself when she said that was all she wanted. There was something else.

What Mami Tomoe really wanted was a friend.

Mami Tomoe took her final sip of Earl Grey, absent-mindedly peering out of the window. The evening sun was beginning to set on Mitakihara, casting a pleasant orange glow upon the sky. There were only a few clouds dotting the sunset – almost hardly noticeable. Perfect weather for witch-hunting.

Placing the empty cup in the kitchen sink to be washed later, Mami pulled on a jacket and headed towards the door, about to leave the apartment, when all of a sudden she heard a strange vibration. Her phone.

Bewildered, Mami stopped in her tracks and turned back towards the table, where her phone was lying. Nobody ever called or texted Mami – in fact, her only contacts were organizations such as the dental practice, hairdressers', etc. Perhaps it was just spam.

But it wasn't. The text was from Hana, apparently (Mami had deduced this from the opening like, 'Hey, it's Hana here'), and it was asking Mami if she wanted to go to the new cake shop that had just opened in town with a group of girls from her class. Mami didn't know how or when Hana had gotten, hold of her number, but she felt slightly flattered that somebody from her class had invited her out.

At this point, the thought struck her that she might have just been drafted in as a replacement for one of the other girls. Yeah, that's right, I'm just the reserve. They'll ignore me until they need me.

Mami pondered over the invitation for a few moments. On the one hand, something was suspicious about the last-minute nature of the invitation, and she was probably only invited because there was nobody else available. On the other hand, going to the cake shop would increase her popularity with her classmates and give her a chance to socialize. Plus she really did adore cake.

Mami flipped the phone shut and bit her lip. Then she put her jacket back on and slipped a full purse into its pocket. Hana hadn't specified if Mami would be paying for herself or not.

As she walked out of the door, Mami peered over the fence that gave her a bird's-eye view of the city centre. Was this really okay? As a Puella Magi, she had responsibilities to fulfil. Being the only Puella Magi in the city made them all just stack up, higher and higher until they began to wobble and crashed to the ground.

I've got my Soul Gem with me. If any trouble occurs, I can just make my excuses and head off. After all, being a Puella Magi doesn't mean I'm not allowed to kick back and relax at times, right?

'Tomoe-san!' Hana called from a large table in the corner of the shop. 'Hi! Come and sit down!'

Sheepishly, aware of every pair of eyes that were focusing on her, Mami made her way over to the table, where a seat was empty next to Hana. She slowly slid onto the seat, wondering why all conversation had stopped just because of her arrival.

It was as Mami tilted her head backwards that she got the shock of her life.

It was that girl again. That girl who she had fought unsuccessfully one year ago, that girl who used to be so charming but slowly lost all her ideals and began to sink into an ocean of despair. That girl who had reduced Mami to tears with her harsh words and cruel actions. Kyouko Sakura.

She was sat by the window with Kyubey, slurping on a chocolate milkshake. Upon locking eyes with Mami, she stared at her for a few seconds before sliding off the red barstool and walking out of the shop. Kyubey followed, casting a single glance back at Mami before disappearing from her view.

'Tomoe-san? Is something wrong?'

Mami's thoughts jolted back to the present. 'Oh, sorry, I just got lost in my own world for a moment there. Have you ordered some cake yet?'

'Cake?' Hana giggled. 'Oh, Mami, you don't seriously think we came here to eat cake, did you?' Her smile was thin and her eyes were dull. Mami felt a sharp pain in her stomach. Something was definitely wrong here.

'Honestly,' some of the other girls said. Their expressions looked identical to Hana's.

'What do you mean?' Mami began suspiciously, raising an eyebrow. 'That's what a cake shop's for, right?'

'Oh, Mami, you're so cute,' Hana smiled, raising an eyebrow back. 'No, we were just using the cake shop as a meeting place. We're going somewhere else now that you're here – come on.'

Mami didn't need her Soul Gem to tell her that there was a witch nearby. If her theory was correct, the girls would lead her to its location, and she would be able to defeat it before anything bad happened.

With Hana leading the way, the girls marched up a flight of coiled-off stairs in the city centre. Mami knew this lead to a tall overhanging platform that was extremely dangerous. Nobody else in the town seemed concerned about the girls – they were all going about their daily business. There was no reason for them to be concerned. To make things worse, once the girls were on the platform nobody would be able to see them until they were bloody and mangled bodies in the street. Mami wouldn't allow it to get to that stage.

Hana giggled again as she reached the platform, turning around. Like zombies, the other girls turned around in sync with her. The witches' kisses were clearly visible on their necks now.

'Tomoe-san, why don't you go first?' Hana smiled, for one second looking almost normal.

'No,' Mami said. 'I won't allow this to happen, Hana. I'll save you soon, don't worry.'

Hana raised an eyebrow again. 'Save us? No, Tomoe-san, you've got it all wrong. We're saving ourselves. We're going to a place much nicer than this empty, bleak world.'

'Stop it!' Mami yelled. She'd dealt with victims of witches' kisses before, but no groups as large as this. She felt as though she couldn't keep her eyes off them for one minute or they'd jump.

Desperately, Mami spun around, only to spot a Grief Seed rolling around the floor. One glance upwards showed her to entrance to the portal that would lead her into the witch's barrier.

'Wait for me here, I'll be ready soon,' Mami told them, hoping that this would keep the girls at bay. After a quick transformation with her Soul Gem, she walked up to the barrier and stepped inside.

Debris flew past her the moment she stepped within the barrier.

'Crap!' a voice came. 'There's a normal human in here!'

Mami recognized the voice all too well. Its owner was Kyouko Sakura again, infecting every area of Mami's life like a parasite.

'Kyouko!' Mami yelled, jumping towards the platform she was currently stationed on. 'What do you think you're doing?'

'Get out!' Kyouko hissed, deflecting Mami with a sharp kick to the stomach. In a state of shock, Mami began to fall to the ground, before getting her bearings back and quickly using ribbons to still her flight. 'I'm about to win! I don't need you to interfere!'

Mami hated Kyouko Sakura with every bone in her body, but at the same time she didn't have an elevated view of herself. Kyouko really didn't need her, and this was proved by the finished blow that Kyouko inflicted onto the witch. With an ear-piercing scream, the barrier began to crumble around them, until there was nothing left.

Kyouko and Mami knew better than to stay in their Puella Magi forms in front of the girls that were just beginning to come back to their senses.

'Tomoe-san?' Hana blinked. 'What are you doing here?'

'Oh, Hana,' Mami replied, trying to sound natural. 'I just happened to be passing by.'

To Mami's surprise, the girls seemed orientated and composed, and quickly began to stand up and walk away from the scene, as though nothing had happened.

'Well, that was quick,' Kyouko snarled, leaning against the wall. 'Friends of yours?'

'Just girls from school,' Mami murmured quietly. Seeing Kyouko again brought back too many bad memories for her. She needed to get away as fast as possible.

'I'll be taking this, then,' Kyouko continued, referring to the Grief Seed. 'After all, you didn't do a thing.'

'You specifically instructed me not to,' Mami retorted. She swallowed deeply. Why was Kyouko back in Mitakihara anyway?

Kyouko smirked. 'Well, better luck next time… Tomoe-san.' She began to skulk off, Kyubey not following her.

'I'm going to look for a new contract,' Kyubey called after her.

Both girls gasped in unison. 'What!?'

'Mami can't handle being the town's only Puella Magi. She needs a companion,' Kyubey said simply, walking away from the scene.

Mami and Kyouko cast a single glance at each other.

'Well, there you are then,' Kyouko shrugged. 'Finally, poor little Mami will have a friend. Aww, isn't that nice?'

'Shut up,' Mami hissed, trying to keep her composure. 'I'll see you later.'

Meanwhile, on the city's edge, a lone girl spotted a dying black kitten in the road.


	2. Cats & Contracts

Madoka Kaname had never been anything other than an ordinary girl. She had two caring parents and an adorable younger brother, and two wonderful friends in the form of Sayaka Miki and Hitomi Shizuki. She had no special talents or abnormal qualities, meaning her life had a monotonous and repetitive tone to it. That was alright, though – Madoka was perfectly satisfied with her normal life.

It wasn't every day she saw a dying kitten on the road, though. Madoka had never seen the dead body of anything bigger than a wasp, so the sight of the wounded cat gave her a shock. It was slumped on the sidewalk by the road, whimpering quietly, dark red blood pouring from a gash in its side. Presumably, it had been involved in a car accident.

'Oh, no!' cried Madoka without a second's thought, rushing over to it. Despite never having a pet of her own, Madoka had always been a great lover of animals, and would do anything to help one in need. She intended to do volunteer work at animal shelters when she was older, and had even entertained the idea of becoming a vet, although this ambition had started to fade ever since Madoka had the idea of becoming a nurse.

Just looking at the cat made Madoka retch, but she picked it up from the sidewalk and cradled it in her arms. Blood was spilling onto her skirt, but that didn't matter – there had to be something she could do to save this kitten.

'Somebody!' she called out to nobody in particular, well aware that the street around her was emptying as the evening began to draw in. 'Help me! Is there a vet near here? Somebody!'

Madoka felt her bottom eyelids begin to tremble as tears spilled out from within. It was pathetic, crying over a stray cat like this, but Madoka couldn't bear to watch this animal suffer any longer. It was such a beautiful cat, too – it had dazzling green eyes and a small, turned-up nose.

'Somebody…'

Oh, come on, this was ridiculous. And her skirt was getting dirty now, too. Just put the cat down. There's nothing you can do to save it.

'I thought I heard crying from this direction,' a high-pitched voice said from behind. Madoka's head spun around, shocked by the voice's sudden arrival. She couldn't tell if it belonged to a man or a woman – it had almost inhuman qualities to it, something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

'Are you alright?'

Madoka stared blankly at the strange creature as it began to approach her, wondering if she was hallucinating.

'What?' she said, her voice reaching an unusually high note.

The creature's expression remained indifferent. 'Are you alright?'

'I – I don't think so,' Madoka stuttered, not really sure what to say. The creature _seemed _real enough, but what sort of dog could talk? It wasn't even a dog – it was some kind of dog, fox and squirrel hybrid. Everything about this creature was too confusing and unfamiliar to Madoka for her to articulate.

'Madoka Kaname, do you believe in magic?'

Madoka was stunned that the creature knew her name, but chose to ignore that fact and answer the question. After all, there were much more important things to worry about right now – like how to save the dying kitten.

'I'm not sure,' Madoka mumbled, and looked down at the kitten. It had gone silent now, though it was still warm and wriggled every few seconds. Madoka could sense its life fading away. By the looks of things, the cat was now only inches from death.

'Do you have a wish you'd like to fulfil?'

Madoka racked her brains for an answer. Whilst her life was dull, it was satisfying and peaceful, and Madoka was confident that she wouldn't trade it for the world.

'I'd quite like this cat to survive,' she answered, surprised at herself for saying such a thing.

'All wishes come at a price,' the creature said, and took another step towards Madoka. 'My name is Kyubey. I have the power to offer you a contract that will grant you any wish you desire.'

Madoka may have been innocent, but she certainly wasn't stupid. Her eyebrows furrowed as she contemplated on what the creature said. The way things were now, she had no choice other than to believe everything that was happening was real. 'What's the catch?'

Kyubey's tail swished majestically, and Madoka couldn't help marvelling at it. It really was an enormous tail – far unlike any she'd ever seen, whether it be on a squirrel or a fox. 'I expected you to ask that.' His expression didn't change, and neither did the intonation of his voice, but Madoka instantly sensed the atmosphere become serious. 'Listen closely, Madoka. In this world, there are creatures, evil creatures known as Witches, that spread hate and despair throughout the cities they inhabit. Yet these Witches can be defeated by girls known as Puella Magi, who are imbued with magical power and given magical weapons to fight with. Becoming a Puella Magi is the price of making this contract.'

Madoka mused over Kyubey's words. When she was little, she used to watch magical girl anime on television all the time. Perhaps being a Puella Magi was somewhat like that? Maybe it would even give her an opportunity to make some new friends. One thing was certain – it would definitely take her average life in a completely new direction.

'Is it dangerous?'

Kyubey shook his head. 'Oh, not really. There's another magical girl in the area, too – a very nice girl, may I add – who will most likely help you out anyway. I do believe she attends your middle school.'

Madoka's mouth popped open. 'Really?'

She'd never expected someone so close to her to have such an unusual life. 'Who is it?'

'Her name is Mami Tomoe,' Kyubey replied nonchalantly. 'She's in the year above you.'

Madoka had seen Mami Tomoe before, but they'd never spoken properly. The thought of working as a magical girl with a senpai made Madoka feel quite nervous.

'I… see,' she began, and bit her lip, leaving a pause that last for around thirty seconds. Her thoughts drifted back to the dying kitten that was still cradled in her arms. 'Alright.'

Kyubey raised an eyebrow, his first change of expression since the two met. 'I was hoping you'd say that.'

Madoka's heart began to race, faster than it had ever raced before, as the weight of her decision finally began to dawn on her. She had made a life-changing choice here, and now there was no going back.

It was as she was pondering whether this was the right decision that her heart began to physically hurt. It was an intense, sharp pain that soon began to ravage throughout her whole body. Madoka tried to cry out, but it was as though her vocal chords had briefly been disabled.

Was she going to die?

Oh God, am I going to die?

After around ten seconds of agony, the world around Madoka instantly returned to normal. During the process of her transformation, it was as though time itself had stopped. And since then, something was now very different about Madoka.

Madoka breathed in delight as she looked down at herself. She had now changed into a completely new dress, consisting of a pink bodice that fanned out into a lavishly decorated skirt, complete with stiff petticoats. Her hands were adorned with a pair of pale pink gloves, and on her feet she could feel a pair of cerise tap shoes. It was an outfit Madoka had dreamt of ever since she was a little girl, back in those times where she wanted to be a royal princess when she grew up.

She felt something cold brushing against her collarbone. It positioning meant she could only see a little of it, but when she tilted her head down she made out what appeared to be a small, magenta gemstone.

'That's what's known as your Soul Gem,' Kyubey informed her, a solemn tone to his voice. 'When you aren't in this form, it will appear as a ring on your finger. You must never take it off.'

'Why not?' Madoka instantly questioned.

Kyubey briefly hesitated before saying, 'You won't be able to transform anymore.'

Without even thinking about it, Madoka began to detransform upon these words. She felt the layers of the dress falling away, leaving her school uniform behind, as though she had been wearing it the whole time.

'So…' Madoka studied the ring on her finger. It was inscribed with strange runes that she couldn't read. 'This is my Soul Gem?'

Kyubey nodded. 'Never, ever take it off. I'm warning you – you'll never know when you need it.'

'I understand,' Madoka declared, and was about to take a step across the road before remembering something incredibly important.

'Oh, no!' she yelled, slapping herself on the forehead. She instantly crouched down to look at where the black kitten was, now completely healed. It was a miracle, really – Madoka could hardly believe her eyes. This creature, once so weak, was now just about to stand up and looked completely healthy.

'Thank you,' a female voice came.

Madoka nearly jumped out of her skin, whirling around in an attempt to find the voice's owner. All she heard was a tinkling laugh. It took Madoka a good few seconds before she realized that the voice actually belonged to the cat.

'That's a gift linked to your wish,' Kyubey piped up. 'You now have the ability to talk to animals, in either form.'

'Amazing,' Madoka breathed, staring down at the cat that was now stood up and licking itself as though nothing had ever happened.

'My name is Amy,' she said, flicking her head backwards. 'I'll never forget what you did for me. Until we meet again.'

Madoka watched as the cat strolled across the road. It was getting late, and Madoka had only just realized she too should make her way home. Her parents would be worried sick about where she was.

She shot Kyubey an apologetic look. 'Sorry, Kyubey… I really need to get home. My parents will be worried about me.'

'That's not a problem,' Kyubey said perkily. 'As you're now a Puella Magi, you can telepathically communicate with myself and other Puella Magi at any given time.'

Madoka nodded, hardly surprised anymore. Today had been full of revelations – and she knew her life would change forever.

'Please introduce me to Mami later,' Madoka smiled, waving as she left. 'Bye-bye!'

There was a spring in Madoka's step as she skipped home. She was well aware of how serious what had just happened was, but for some reason she just felt so _happy_, almost as though she'd won the lottery. Finally, her life was going to become _interesting!_ Just wait till she told Sayaka!

'I wouldn't do that if I were you,' came another female voice. Madoka stopped in her tracks instantly, before realizing the voice must be a telepathic communication of some sort. She'd heard Mami speak before, and her voice didn't sound anything like this.

'Who is it?' Madoka asked suspiciously, casting a glance around her to check nobody else was around as she hesitantly continued to walk.

'That's for me to know and for you to probably not find out,' the girl answered. There was a patronizing tone to her voice, as though was mocking Madoka. Madoka scowled, determined not to react. She wanted to hear what this girl had to say. 'I'm just warning you. Being a Puella Magi isn't all fun and games, no matter what that ridiculous thing says. I was just like you at first, you know – thinking I could be a defender of justice, thinking it would all be like one big magical girl anime. But I can promise you that it's the complete opposite. I've lost many friends throughout my journey so far. Many from death, but others – including somebody important – from disputes. Being a Puella Magi has changed me, and it'll change you too. I can promise you that.'

'Listen,' Madoka said, 'can't you just tell me your identity already? You're not Mami and you're not Kyubey, so who are you?'

'Mami?' the girl sneered. 'Oh, so Kyubey told you about her? She might seem kind and caring on the outside, but in reality she's a selfish little bitch who only cares about herself. You can _definitely_ trust me on this one. She tried to tell me what to do, trying to manipulate every battle to help herself. She doesn't know how to live with other people. Haven't you ever wondered why she's got no friends? You go to the same school, right?'

'You seem to know a lot about me,' Madoka mumbled sullenly, wishing that whoever this girl was would just shut up and leave her in peace. 'Can't you tell me something about you?'

There was a faint laugh. 'Alright, then. Here's the first one: I'm going to die soon.'

Madoka's foot crashed to the ground as the rest of her body froze into position. 'What?'

'You heard me,' the girl replied indifferently. 'And it's not just me they're after. Once they're finished with me, they'll be after Mami – and then you. I'd warn you not to make the contract, but I guess that's too late now. How pathetic, making a contract over something as small as a cat! Idiot. All I can say now is that you should leave this town before it's too late.'

Everything was quiet.

Madoka took another step towards home.


	3. Trains & Teacups

'Kyubey,' Kyouko muttered, 'what the hell are you thinking?'

Kyubey stopped in his tracks and tilted his head back. 'Oh, Kyouko. You startled me.'

Kyouko raised an eyebrow. 'No, I didn't. You knew I was there the whole time. Now answer my question – what the hell are you thinking giving a naïve fool like her a contract?'

'On the contrary, Kyouko, I believe Madoka possesses the potential to become the most powerful Puella Magi this universe has ever seen,' Kyubey replied calmly.

'As if. She made a contract over a _cat_, for God's sake. A cat!'

'A wish is a wish,' Kyubey shrugged. 'If it is what a person wants, then who am I to disagree?'

'Still…' Kyouko racked her brains, looking for a good response. 'Why are you making contracts in the first place? I'm planning to stay in Mitakihara for a long period of time, you know. You don't need more than two magical girls in one area.'

'Oh,' Kyubey said. 'Are you scared that Oriko and Kirika will find you?'

Kyouko swallowed. It was true that she was scared of this pair of girls, who had made it their mission to murder every Puella Magi they set eyes upon. Yet Kyouko was too proud to admit her fear, especially in front of somebody like Kyubey.

'Not at all,' she sniffed, raising her nose in the air. 'Those bitches don't know what they've got coming to them.'

Realizing Kyouko was unaware of Oriko's ability to predict the future, Kyubey let out a small smile of amusement. He was certain Oriko already had a plan laid out for Kirika to capture and kill Kyouko.

'They have already faced many powerful victims,' Kyubey noted. 'So far, I'm not aware of anybody who has escaped their clutches unharmed. Their latest victim was killed only last night.'

Kyouko froze. 'Seriously?'

'Yume Chitose,' Kyubey informed Kyouko. 'I believe you knew her.'

'I did,' Kyouko said quietly, her voice hoarse. 'Not well, but I still knew her.' Her fists clenched into tense balls. 'Dammit. She was only a kid. Why would they want to kill her?'

'There's still much you don't know, Kyouko.'

'Don't try to comfort me.' Kyouko pushed Kyubey away with a flick of her hand.

'I wasn't,' Kyubey continued. 'I was simply informing you that you're not aware of the whole situation.'

'Well, I'd really like to know more about it,' Kyouko mumbled, looking away. 'I've been on the run from them for two weeks now, and I managed to nearly get my throat slit in the process. It wasn't my intention to end up here, but… oh, never mind. I'm going to die, aren't I?'

'Everybody dies,' Kyubey replied perkily.

'Oh, shut up.'

Mami was still recovering from the shock of Kyouko's return as she had a warm bubble bath in her apartment that night. She couldn't possibly begin to entertain reasons why Kyouko was here in Mitakihara. Hadn't she vowed to never set foot in the city again, all those years ago? Why was she here now?

To make the situation even worse, there was a new magical girl in town too. Mami had known the instant the contract was formed – her Soul Gem had resonated with the sudden burst of new power, alerting Mami to the presence of the new Puella Magi. She didn't know what her name was yet, and had not had chance to contact Kyubey and discuss the matter. Right now, she didn't care.

One thing unusual thing Mami had noticed about Kyouko was a large scar on the right side of her chin. There had been no chance to ask Kyouko about the scar, but Mami knew something was suspicious about it. A witch didn't inflict those kind of injuries – it had to have been done by somebody armed with a magical weapon.

And yet why on the chin? Could somebody perhaps have aimed for her throat, but spectacularly missed?

Mami shuddered at the thought. Being the only Puella Magi in town (well, up until now) had been fortunate for her. She had no need to share her Grief Seeds with anybody else, and there were no territory disputes. Mami hoped for her own sake that the new Puella Magi, whoever she was, was younger than her and innocent, like Kyouko had been before she changed.

'Mami, are you awake?'

Mami sank further into the bubbles. 'Kyubey, what do you want?'

'Don't be like that, Mami. I take it you're aware I've made a new contract?'

'Yes, you did tell me as you were left you were going to make one. Did you forget?'

'No, I didn't, I was just checking. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you a little bit about it.'

Mami used her elbows on the side of the tub to prop herself up. 'Go on.'

'She's a student in the year below you at school. Her name is Madoka Kaname.'

'Oh, Kaname-san?' Mami sat up in the tub, listening carefully. 'Oh, I believe I've seen her before. She won a school competition a few months back, if I remember correctly.'

'That's wonderful,' Kyubey continued, sounding uninterested. 'I have a suggestion. Why don't you meet on the rooftop tomorrow lunchtime?'

'I don't have a problem with that,' Mami replied, 'but there's something I'd like to know. Is she in any way hostile or aggressive?'

'Of course not,' Kyubey said. 'I believe the two of you will make an excellent team.'

'Whatever you say. I'm having a bath right now, so is it alright if we continue this conversation tomorrow?'

'Oriko!'

'What?'

'Oriko, I'm cold.'

Oriko frowned. 'Fine then, have my blanket.'

Despite their lengthy friendship, Oriko Mikuni was beginning to become irritated by Kirika Kure. She cared deeply for the girl, but Kirika's constant complaining and moaning had begun to annoy Oriko, disrupting her usually calm temperament.

'Oriko, are you angry?'

Oriko glanced at Kirika, who had a scratchy blue blanket pressed to her. Her eyes reflected fear and worry.

'Of course I'm not angry,' Oriko smiled, switching back to her charming persona. 'Come on now, Kirika. We'll be out of here soon.'

'Do you know where Kyouko Sakura is?' Kirika whispered, her voice hollow. It appeared two weeks living on the streets had taken its toll on Kirika.

'She's in Mitakihara,' Oriko said.

'Really?' Kirika gasped, her eyes widening at the mention of their hometown. 'Why's she in Mitakihara?'

'God knows,' Oriko smiled weakly. 'I guess going back to Mitakihara will give me the opportunity to go back to school, too.'

'I just want to get rid of her now,' Kirika hissed. 'She's caused us nothing but trouble. I've never seen anybody like her.'

Oriko stood up, shaking her ponytail loose. 'It's eight o'clock in the evening. Do you want to call it a night, or should we head to Mitakihara?'

Kirika pondered this for a few moments. 'I think we should go.'

Oriko turned around and smiled wryly. 'Exactly what I was hoping you'd say.'

The pair caught the train to Mitakihara at around half past eight, with half an hour's journey time. The train was almost empty, most commuters having already returned from work and nightlife not yet beginning to emerge.

'I'll murder her this time,' Kirika said, her voice muffled by the newspaper she was covering her face with. 'I swear down. That Kyouko Sakura's as good as dead.'

Oriko glanced at her. 'I think I'll aid you this time.'

Kirika almost dropped her newspaper. 'Are you sure about that?'

Oriko nodded. 'Of course I am. Friends help each other out, right?'

'Yeah, but… you don't have to go out of your way to help me. I'm fine on my own.'

Oriko bit her lip. Kirika was an emotionally vulnerable girl – even the littlest thing could make her fly off the handle if it wasn't what she wanted to hear. There was no tactful way to tell Kirika that she wouldn't be able to beat Kyouko Sakura on her own, and, whilst Kirika's anger always quickly subsided, Oriko knew it would only slow their hunt down to rile Kirika up.

'Well, I want to,' Oriko smiled, taking Kirika's hand. She instantly recoiled – Kirika's hand felt as though it'd been placed in a freezer for a few hours. Hesitantly, she touched her hand again. 'Come on, Kirika. It'll be easier if we work together, too.'

'I don't know…' Kirika mused on the offer, before her face broke out into a grin. 'Actually, you're right. I don't see why not.'

'Thank you,' Oriko whispered, and returned to glancing out of the window.

After disembarking from the train, Oriko and Kirika hung around in the station for a while, buying some snacks from the store whilst they were there.

'Do we have a plan?' Kirika asked Oriko in a hushed voice.

Oriko drummed her fingers on the arm of the bench. 'A surprise attack might work this time.'

'We'd need to get her into an isolated area first, though,' Kirika pointed out. 'We can't spy on her twenty-four hours a day, either. We're bound to get caught.'

'It's alright,' Oriko mumbled. 'I can easily find out when to catch her alone.'

'What? What do you mean? How?'

Oriko smiled wryly. 'Just trust me on this one, Kirika. Anyway, there's no point hanging around here. I can assure you we won't catch Kyouko tonight, so we might as well check ourselves into a hotel in Mitakihara.'

Kirika blinked at her. 'You're not going home?'

'No. I don't feel like it.'

Kirika stared in bewilderment. 'I don't understand.''

Oriko shook her head. 'You don't need to. I just feel like it's… like it's time for me to stop depending on other people, you know? I need to start taking control of my own life.' She gave Kirika a weak smile. 'Anyway, don't mind me, rambling on to myself. Let's go.'

'So, Madoka, what did you do at school today?'

'Oh, nothing much. I saw a couple on the way to school kissing each other, and when they turned away the girl smacked into a tree.'

Junko howled with laughter, banging on the table with her left hand. 'Oh, Madoka, how come you don't tell me stories like this more often?'

Madoka blushed. 'Funny things like that don't normally happen. Mitakihara's actually quite a boring school.'

'It didn't exist when I was your age,' said Junko. 'It was only built the year before you were born, actually. It's such a high-tech place, though, isn't it? You've all got personal laptops to work on!'

'Yeah, I suppose so.' Madoka ran a hand through her hair. 'There's one girl who hasn't got one, mind you.'

'Aww,' Junko frowned. 'Poor thing. Anything else you'd like to tell me about?'

Madoka hesitated. She knew telling her mother about Kyubey would be risky, and probably worry her, too.

'No, nothing,' she smiled. 'It's been a pretty uneventful day, if I'm honest. What's for dinner tonight?'

Junko grinned. 'Niku ramen! In fact, I'd better get cooking now. Get your homework done whilst you're waiting.'

Madoka beamed at her as she departed to the kitchen, her smile fading once her mother's back was turned. Her stomach felt as though it was twisting, sending bile rising to her throat.

'I can't do this,' Madoka murmured, her mother now well out of earshot. It just didn't feel right to keep things from Junko. The pair of them were more like sisters than mothers.

_Is this really what I want for the future? Have I made the right decision?_

Memories of mini fashion parades and batches of cookies flashed through Madoka's mind. If she couldn't trust her own mother, who on Earth could she trust?

_I have to tell her_.

And yet, as Madoka rose from her seat, she remembered something else. The voice from earlier – the girl who had given her a warning.

_Just how dangerous is this going to be?_ Madoka mused, her bottom lip beginning to tremble. _I can't get Mom involved with this. It's not fair on her_.

In an attempt to put the whole thing out of her mind, Madoka opened her Science textbook and began to study.


End file.
